All's Fair in Love and Blood
Jennifer Peel
5.0
The Ghost Bride
by Yangsze Choo
About this book
Set against the lush, atmospheric backdrop of 1890s colonial Malaya, this mesmerizing tale reimagines the boundaries between the living and the dead. Li Lan, the daughter of a bankrupt family, receives a chilling proposal: to become a ghost bride for the wealthy Lim family’s recently deceased son. While the offer promises financial security, it thrusts her into a perilous supernatural contract that binds her to a vengeful spirit.
As a gripping work of historical paranormal romance, the story masterfully weaves Chinese folklore with dark, dreamlike intrigue. Li Lan soon finds herself navigating a hauntingly bureaucratic afterlife, a parallel world filled with paper offerings and spectral cities. Caught between the handsome, living heir Tian Bai and the mysterious, otherworldly guardian Er Lang, she must grapple with the seductive pull of a realm that refuses to let her go.
For readers seeking a fresh take on the genre, this narrative offers a unique spin on the turned-newborn trope. As Li Lan descends further into the shadows, she begins a transformation that blurs the lines between mortal and spirit. It is a wonderfully crafted, unpredictable journey that explores the price of devotion and the terrifying secrets buried within the Lim family legacy.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- B00E67H916
Reader Reviews
November 9, 2015
I could write so much about this book. But why bother boring people. The main thing is this is such a wonderfully crafted story. Very original. You've never read anything like it I bet. If you're interested at all in the spirit world - what happens in-between life & death or after death then this will satisfy your hunger for that. If you're interested in Asian culture and beliefs this is also very revealing and educational. If you like unique love stories, again this is one special book that...
June 25, 2016
5 out of 5 Stars I started this book expecting it to be one thing, then it spun around on me and went in a completely unexpected direction, and I definitely enjoyed the ride! Li Lan, an impoverished but genteel Chinese girl living in Malaya, receives an offer of marriage--to a dead man. The man's wealthy family,are seeking a bride to help his soul rest in peace, an arrangement the dire financial straits of Li Lan's family makes hard to resist. But resist she does, and Li Lan soon finds herself...
October 2, 2015
This book's Kindle edition was on sale for $.99 in June 2015, and I am so glad I snatched it up! I wasn't sure quite what to expect as I began reading, but quickly became intrigued. The 19th century setting combined with supernatural plot elements and intrigue makes for a very interesting read. I learned a good deal about Chinese folklore while reading this book - don't skip the author's comments at the end which describe real folklore, and how she chose to interpret it and weave it into her...
September 27, 2013
I have to first say that my review may be prejudiced because I bought the book under the impression that it was a historical novel. It may have been, but I couldn't really tell--the story could have been set in just about any time period, though I believe it was supposed to have been the late 1800s or early 1900s. The time really isn't relevant because (1) the Asian culture is so different from Western culture that it's going to be a real \"jump\" of a read for any Western reader, and (2) half...
August 25, 2015
What a wonderful book and a complete surprise! I had not idea what to expect from THE GHOST BRIDE but I was pleased and happy I read the book for the Book Club task of the Goodreads #Seasonal Reading Challenge! The book worked for me on many levels. It is an excellent historical novel set in 19th century Maylay (now Malaysia) and contained a lot of information on the customs and rituals of death in Asian countries. I also can see it as a Gothic novel with the young heroine facing so many trials...
